Former Barcelona prospect Carles Perez has been hospitalised after a dog bit his genitals in a freak incident. The attacking midfielder, who now plays for Greek club Aris, was forced to miss a crucial Conference League match due to a ‘deep gash’ he reportedly suffered after being bitten.
Perez is said to have been walking his dog in Greece when his pet was approached by another dog. He attempted to separate the two but ended up being bitten on the genitals. The 27-year-old was reportedly taken to a private hospital in Panorama, another suburb outside Thessaloniki, where he received treatment. Perez’s genitals reportedly required six stitches due to a ‘deep gash’.
According to Marca, Perez is still being observed in hospital and will not return to his Aris team-mates any time soon. However, it is understood that he is at least not in a serious condition.
Speaking on Wednesday, Aris manager Marinos Ouzounidis confirmed that Perez was due to start their Conference League qualifying clash with Araz-Nakhchivan. Ouzounidis said: “Carles would have been in the starting line-up. This incident happened but we can’t dwell on it any longer. My mind is working on alternative solutions and we have worked on them.
“That’s why I insist that it’s important to have players with personality. So I’m interested in the group of players that I will have at my disposal, to give the most they can.”
The match would have marked Perez’s second appearance for his new club. He recently signed on loan from Celta Vigo, after fellow La Liga club Getafe refused to take up their option to sign him following his temporary spell.
Perez made his Barcelona debut in 2019 but left for Roma a year later after making just 13 appearances for the Spanish giants. After his departure, he accused his former club of having no patience with young players.
“I’m only thinking about succeeding at Roma,” Perez told Marca in 2020. “I have four more years on my contract and I’m focused on that.
“I didn’t understand my exit, but I respect the decision and thank the club for their treatment of me over the years. People talk about the academy, but sometimes they prefer to spend millions and don’t have patience with young players. That’s how it is. People have to forget my past there.”